1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to an endoscopic apparatus and, more particularly, to a self-propelled endoluminal device that moves in a tubular organ.
2. Background of Related Art
A typical endoscope includes a flexible tube that is inserted through the gastrointestinal tract of a patient starting from the rectum or from the esophagus. The tip of the endoscope that is introduced in the gastrointestinal tract can be outfitted with several devices, most notably a light source and a camera, so that a user of the endoscope can observe the interior of the gastrointestinal tract and maneuver the endoscope to the proper position.
Once the endoscope is placed at the desired location in the gastrointestinal tract, surgical tools may be inserted through a working channel defined in the endoscope. As such, the surgical tools inserted in the endoscope will also easily reach the desired location.
The conventional method requires a highly skilled endoscopist to steer and push the endoscope through the gastrointestinal tract. However, even the highly skilled endoscopist oftentimes faces the difficulty of having to maneuver the long flexible tube through a narrow cavity, while steering the distal end of the flexible tube inside the body cavity. This can create an inherently unstable condition, which may result in excessive extension or dilation of the tubular organ. The excessive extension or dilation of the tubular organ causes pain and discomfort in patients, and can increase the risk of puncturing of the wall of the tubular organ which can cause infection or peritonitis.